In their short four-year existence, Roadside Monument released some of the best emo/post-hardcore to ever emerge from Christian circles. The band — which eventually settled into the trio of guitarist/vocalist Doug Lorig, bassist Johnathon Ford (who would later go on to form Unwed Sailor, another longtime Opus fave), and drummer Matt Johnson — adroitly balanced muscular playing, intricate rhythms, and passionate vocals like few bands in the scene. And if you were ever fortunate enough to see them live, as I did on several occasions at the Cornerstone Festival, then you knew just how well they could blow the roof off the place.

“Sunken Anchor” is one of the band’s more straightforward songs, but that does nothing to blunt the trio’s quiet/loud dynamics, which feel like the epitome of late ’90s emo to these ears.